Kinjal Chakraborty of Class XII, B.D. Memorial International School aspires to be an actor. What he did not dream of was being part of an award-winning film, while still in school.
Kinjal and a team of 12 students of Classes XI and XII from the mass media department of his school recently clinched the Best Film (school section) award at the 13th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival, 2023, for their short film Olik-A story Unheard.
The 20-minute short film traces the dilemma and despondency of a little-known author. It explores aspects of schizophrenia, the constant need for validation and companionship in the middle of a lonely world. Yet in the darker recesses of his mind also lies a hope that leads him to a new tomorrow.
Shot in monochrome with Kinjal in the lead role the film was planned, shot and edited by the students single-handedly.
“It was a great experience, all the more because it was shot in my dadu’s house. I had to research on my character and get out of my original self to embrace the protagonist’s,” said Kinjal.
His teammate and director of the film, Shrutayu Maity, was equally excited that their hard work for months had paid off. “We had started working on the film from last June. The script was written by our teammate Debaditya Sen. Selecting the location was easy. The shooting and post-production works were done within weeks in December-January.
“We were a disciplined lot. We would arrive on the set on time despite it being winter. The shooting stretched over a week and we did not hesitate to work right from morning to late at night,” said Kinjal.
According to the students, the experience taught them time management and how to balance studies with a creative project. In the end, it was a great learning experience for all.
“I am very proud of my students. They worked really hard to come up with a good short film. Every year, we apply in this award category. This is a great comeback since Covid, boosting students' confidence,” said principal Madhumita Sengupta.
Purushottam Bhagchandka Academic School
A dip in the pool to beat the heat! To make school fun for the tots, the Pre-primary section of Purushottam Bhagchandka Academic School held a pool party for its students on May 6. It helped the students enjoy the flavours of summer.
The kids turned up in colourful swimsuits and had great fun playing in the water. They were busting with excitement as they splashed with their friends and played with floating toys. Teachers kept a strict watch on the kids and ensured the pool party was conducted with all safety measures in place.
“The Pre-primary students were all geared up to beat the heat in the splash pool party organised in school. They were colourfully dressed in their swimwear, goggles and sun hats. The event is an integral part of their Life under Water curriculum,” said principal Madhuparna Andrews.
Heritage Academy High School
Students of Heritage Academy High School organised a cultural programme to celebrate Rabindra Jayanti on May 9. Over 120 students from Preparatory section to Class XII took part in the event that was much appreciated by the audience.
The programme began with the institution’s secretary Gautam Sadhan Bose’s speech that stressed on the historical and cultural importance of Tagore.
Students of Classes V, VI and VII recited poems such as Where the mind is without fear.
Dressed in colourful costumes, kids of Preparatory I and II danced to their favourite song Hare re re re re.
A choir consisting of students from Preparatory to Class IV presented two songs Aji shuvo dine and Purano sei diner kotha.
Participants of Classes III and IV presented a performance to the song Pran chai chokkhu na chay followed by a recitation of the poem Mrityunjoy by students of Classes V to VII.
Finally, the students from different classes presented a delightful play Indurer Bhoj that highlighted an ideal relationship between teacher and students and spoke of Tagore’s ideology of humanitarianism.
More songs and dance performances followed. Classes V to XII performed some more favourite Rabindrasangeet such as Gram chara oi ranga matir poth, Maharajo eki saje and Uriye dhwaja abhrabhedi. The students also danced to Amar praner majhe sudha ache, Bidhir badhon katbe tumi, Amar mukti aloy aloy, Momo chitte and others.
The unity, love, positivity and hope, which Tagore had envisioned, were reflected in every performance.
Administrator Sourya Sadhan Bose said: “We had little time for practice this year. Usually, we get a guest choreographer to help the children with their performances. This time, however, the teachers did the job. There was no dearth of enthusiasm both on part of the students and the teachers. Everybody embraced the spirit of Tagore as they prepared for the event.”
Pratt Memorial School
Students were awarded for their achievements at the annual senior prize distribution ceremony organised by Pratt Memorial School on May 4.
The chief guest was IAS officer Kaushick Saha. Also present was the bishop of Calcutta, Reverend Paritosh Canning who encouraged young achievers to egg on.
The programme started with an inaugural dance performance by the senior school students.
The highlight of the evening was a special audiovisual presentation of the school’s achievements for the academic session 2022-23.
This was followed by a musical performance. Finally, prizes were given away to the toppers of every class. It was a proud moment for the parents to watch their wards go up on stage and receive prizes for their hard work.
“Both students and parents look forward to the prize day with great excitement, especially so after the Covid19 pandemic. Recognising and appreciating the students’ achievements give us great satisfaction and joy. The event is special as we also encourage the students, who are trying to succeed with certificates of progress,” said principal Carolyn Lionel.
Divya Arya Vidya Public School, Dhankal-Joka
Students of Divya Arya Vidya Public School, Dhankal-Joka, celebratedRabindra Jayanti on the school premises on May 9.
The event began with lamp-lighting by chief guest and educator Manan Ojha and others. The institution’s secretary Pankaj Gupta gave a speech on Rabindranath Tagore and the impact ofhis work in moderntimes.
Ojha spoke about Tagore’s contributions to our nation.
The performances began with a dance to the evergreen Phule phule. Students recited verses such as Chhuti and Proshno to take the audience back in time.
Students from Classes IV and V delivered a speech on the Nobel laureate followed by a song and dance performance as a tribute to Gitanjali.
There was a dance performance on works taken from Bichitro Porjay, Prokriti Porjay and Prem Porjay. The celebration concluded with the national anthem, another composition of Tagore.
“Rabindra Jayanti is an important event in the school calendar. The students prepared a lot to put up a good show,” said the institute’s secretary.
Birla High School
Students of Birla High School went around serving food in their prayer hall, dressed in their regular uniform, but donning aprons and caps.
The guests were 60 support staff members.
The students organised a treat for the school's support staff members on May 12. The event was hosted to celebrate May Day. Also present were representatives from the school's management committee.
This was the boys' way of showing gratitude to the helping hands for all their hard work. The vegetarian lunch had delicacies such as Madrasi Dahi Vada, Mix Veg Paneer, Kali Dal and Luchi. It ended with ice cream.
The hosts were the student council members of Classes X and XII and some from Class V. They also interacted with the guests and made them feel special. The experience taught the students life lessons.
"Our support staff members work tirelessly to keep the institution running. The lunch is a small gesture of thanks from the students and management for their dedication. This event has been part of the school calendar for a while now," said Major General (retd) V.N. Chaturvedi, secretary-general of the Vidya Mandir Society.
